Fahma, or: BC's True Identity
by Speck
Summary: Ezra's memories haunt her, and BC considers his/her morals... first Van. fic, please R&R (WARNING: SECOND STAGE SPOILERS)
1. Session 1

Fahma, or: BC's True Identity

By: Speck

_"Are you absolutely sure you have to do this? And now?" _

_"Yes… I'm sorry, but the Captain needs me. You know I wouldn't go if I didn't have to, but she's told the entire crew that this next mission is a big one. I have to help…" _

_"I'd never imagined one such as you joining up with a pirate crew… You were so reluctant about it at first, remember?" _

**_Her smile… she would always smile like that, no matter what… so upset, but so humorous._**_ "Neither did I… but you made it sound so appealing… and besides, you know how much I hated just sitting around while you would go out on big missions with them… I'm just upset that we need to leave you and the others behind this time…" _

_"I know… well, all right. They do need you after all… But please, be careful. You know how worried I am about her…" _

_The young woman in question took the speakers hand and placed it lightly over her stomach. "I promise… my job doesn't involve heavy contact or action, you know that… but still, I'll do my best to take it easy…" _

_The speaker smiled. "How easy you make it sound… very well. But promise me this will be the last raid… and promise me you'll spend the rest of time with me and our baby after it's born…" _

_The young woman smiled. "I promise… I love you, my ohma…" _

_"…And I love you, Ezra Vieil…"_

Gasping, Ezra sat bolt upright in bed, a light sheet of sweat glittering out upon her brow. Minutes passed before her breathing calmed and her mind cleared. It was all a dream… no, a memory… the same memory that had played itself, night after night, in her mind. She gazed over to a table clock, its luminescent digits reading just a little after one in the morning. Several months had passed since she'd last laid eyes on the ohma of her baby, and she missed her dearly. The raid itself, mentioned those months ago, had taken a matter of moments, but last-minute attacks had blasted both the enemy ships and the pirates' own out into a remote section of space. Not only that, but the core powering the enemy ship, called Paksis, had exploded, its crystalline structure fusing both enemy and pirate ships together into a craft now dubbed the Nirvana. Not only that, but the three remaining men of the enemy ship had been taken on to help aid the crew on their venture back to their home planets of Mejale and Tarak. Ezra couldn't help but smile… men and women, supposedly enemies to the bitter end, were helping each other out… for their survival.

A pang of sadness latched its claws about her heart… they had been floating out in space for so many months… she wondered just how the baby's ohma was faring… does she miss me? She'll be wondering about the baby…

As if knowing that its mother was thinking about it, the baby within kicked and butted, causing Ezra to smile.

"I'm sorry, little one… your fahma worries, that's all…"

But it wasn't a simple worry. It was one that did the same thing every time the memory came back to haunt Ezra. It grew into anxiety, which grew into tears that silently spilled from Ezra's eyes to dot lightly at her nightgown. There was only one thing she could do.

Grunting, she pushed herself out of her bed, giving herself a moment to adjust to her weight, which still bothered her, and proceeded to pad about the ship. At this hour of the night, the ship's bays and halls were empty and quiet, and darkened. She passed by the men's sleeping quarters, giggling quietly at the raucous snoring that came from within. The engine bay's lights were still on, and for a moment, she thought that Parfet was still awake, busily monitoring the ever-active Paksis. Light, slow breathing confirmed that the engineer was indeed asleep, her head nodding, and every so often she muttered something about the engine room. Pyoro stood perched next to her, hooked into the Paksis, its monitors beeping and every so often fading into a pair of closed eyes. Ezra inched away slowly, so as not to wake either… the last thing she wanted was Pyoro chasing after her, demanding that her baby be named Pyoro-2.

Ezra found her feet leading her past Reg, where the lights were off, all for one. Gascogne was engaged in a heavy game of cards with Meia, both concentrating deeply on the task at hand. She smiled… Gascogne was a master when it came to poker, but Meia was quite a contender. Regardless, she continued on. It would be pointless trying to engage either in conversation.

It wasn't long before Ezra found herself walking to her favorite part of the ship, the bio-park. It was a strange addition to a battleship; a perfect likeness of a city park, with trees, a small lake, and benches with authentic streetlamps lighting a walkway. One such bench she claimed as her own, seating herself once again on the familiar wooden slats. This bench she would often come to when she needed to think, or wished to simply gaze at the stars… she knew her baby couldn't see anything from within its closed chamber, but regardless, she liked sharing the dark, starry expanses of space with her unborn. She let both of her hands stroke gently at her stomach, as she smiled…

"I was so tiny before… so thin and small… but you, you changed all that, didn't you? I don't think I've ever wanted to eat so much… but it doesn't matter. Everything I do is for you now… no one else but you…"

"Ezra?"

Starting, Ezra turned around and looked about. BC stood at the end of a walkway, just beneath a streetlamp, its light casting a halo over her bronze skin and silver-grey hair. The vice-captain approached Ezra, her eyebrows creased into a slight frown.

"I'd have thought you of all people would be sleeping now… what's the matter, is something wrong?"

"O-oh, no, vice-captain! I… I just had a dream, and it woke me, and I couldn't get back to sleep… so I thought I'd come out here and watch the stars until I felt sleepy enough to go back to bed…"

BC smiled. "Please, call me BC. You're a navigator… and our most valued one at that. You don't have to be so formal…"

Ezra blushed. "I-I'm sorry… BC."

"It's all right… now, about your dream… do you want to talk about it?"

"Well," Ezra began, then stopped. Her hands gripped lightly at her nightgown as tears suddenly broke forth, streaming down her cheeks. She sobbed quietly, as BC sat beside her on the bench and rubbed gently at her shoulder with a hand. The vice-captain smiled sympathetically.

"Was it something about your baby?"

"Sort of," Ezra gasped between broken sobs. "It… it was mostly about her ohma… I promised her after the raid was over that I would go home and take care of the baby with her… that was over seven months ago… I miss her so much…"

BC, never given much to shows of emotion, simply sat back on the bench, crossing her arms behind her head as she gazed at the stars. "So, you planned on leaving us after that last raid?"

Ezra bowed her head. "Yes… as much as I love it here… and as much as I love the captain for taking me aboard…"

"…You just want to go back home, and live a happy life…"

"…Yes…"

"I can't blame you. Granted, I don't think I could ever deal with children, but if I were in the same position as you, I'd feel the same way…"

"I-I'm sorry, BC… at first I wanted to continue working for this crew, but…"

BC laid her hand along the back of Ezra's neck and squeezed lightly. "There's no need to apologize… what you feel now is instinct; the need to be with the one you love right now. That's normal… and when we get back to Mejale, you can do just that. Promise me something, though…"

"Y-yes?"

"Be sure to come back and visit us with your baby and the ohma after we get back home. We'll want to see you as a whole family, you know…"

Ezra smiled. "The baby should be born soon… you'll all be able to see her then…"

"You didn't hear me, Ezra. I said, 'We'll want to see you as a whole family'… we'll be able to see _her_, yes, but we want to see the family that is created after her birth."

She wasn't sure what happened next; all Ezra knew was that a sudden tidal wave of emotion crashed over the shores of her mind. Smiling, tears spilling down upon her nightgown, Ezra leaned over and hugged BC close, crying into her shoulder.

"A-all right… I promise you that…"

BC, upon this sudden contact, stiffened then relaxed, letting a hand come up to stroke at Ezra's hair. A small smile of regret graced her lips.

_'I certainly hope you can get home to Mejale, Ezra… especially for the sake of your family… I fear I've been doing the wrong things…' _

"BC…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for talking with me. I've been lonely lately… there's no one on the ship I can really confide in, except for you and the Captain. Everyone else is just… I don't know… not the kind you can really talk to about these things…"

"What about Dita? I've seen you and her stealing off to the bio-park ever now and then to talk…"

"Usually she's the one who comes to me to talk," Ezra sighed. "I guess she thinks I know a lot about love…"

"I would think you do," BC leaned back once again to gaze at the stars. "You out of all the members on board are about the only one who has a solid relationship outside of pirating… Jura and Barnette are partners, yes, but they're so giddy about it… you're the only one who has a serious partnership… so it's no wonder she comes to you for advice all the time…"

Ezra blushed. "I guess that's right… you know, it's strange…"

"What is?"

"Well… I'm sorry if I'm keeping you up…"

"Don't worry about it, Ezra… I don't mind… it seems you've had a lot on your mind lately that's needed expression… I'm listening…"

"Thanks… well, I was just thinking… for the longest time, we were raised to think that men were our enemies… now all of a sudden we know that this is all because of the Earthling's plans for using us as spare parts… but even before we knew that, it didn't stop Dita from going after Hibiki, or Parfet from becoming friends with Duero… even Bart's starting to turn around… even still, there's so much to be learned about love…"

"That's true… it's as if, even though time has passed, instincts still run strong for the other sex we've been separated from for three generations…"

"So…" Ezra looked up, a guilty look on her face, "does that make me wrong for loving my partner?"

BC smiled. "No. Love is love. It doesn't matter who you fall in love with, or what your sex is… what matters the most is how you feel about the other person. That's all that should matter…"

"…You're right. I just think too much, I guess…"

"I don't think so," BC replied. "You think just enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and check the radar for any enemy craft… I'm sorry, Ezra…"

"That's all right… I'm just glad you listened to me for so long. I guess I should be getting back to bed… I'm starting to tire out."

"You do that," BC said, helping her up from the bench. "And don't worry about reporting tomorrow morning. I'll handle your station until you wake up. Have a good sleep now…"

Ezra smiled, and clasped BC's hand. "Before I go… I know Bart is a silly, strange man, but give him a chance. I think he's really starting to turn towards you, you know…"

BC blushed. "I… he's just trying to make me go easier on him. It won't work."

"I know… but just think about it. Good night, BC."

As soon as Ezra was out of earshot, BC turned, and stroked the gem that acted as the clasp for her neckband. A man's voice emanated from her lips.

"I have, Ezra… and I can't. Because…"

Another pair of ears, even as old and wizened as they were, heard the voice from somewhere above. The hearer smiled. 'So… it is as I thought…'

"Because… I'm a bastard."

A/N: Yes, this is awkward… see, I started out intending this to be an Ezra-centric one-shot, but now I'm beginning to think it'll be an Ezra/BC thing… but I'm not really sure. All I know is I really hope I haven't confused anybody entirely with this… comments/suggestions/critiques accepted, pointless bashing rejected. If you didn't like it and have a creatively helpful answer, I'll ask why and look for your input. If you just come to say I suck, I have to wonder about _your_ agenda. That is all. Sayonara…

EDIT: I had to re-assess these chapters and any upcoming ones due to the fact I just viewed the rest of Vandread: Second Stage. I want to keep it as accurate as possible… I know I should'a waited for the last eps. To come out before I uploaded these chapters… -_-** 


	2. Session 2

Fahma, or: BC's True Identity

By: Speck 

DISCLAIMER: I do not own and have not created any of the characters in Vandread: that claim goes solely to Gonzo Studios. I wish I did sometimes, though... ;)

Session Two

"Captain! Enemy sighted off starboard side, approaching at 13,200Gr.!"

"They never give up without a fight, do they?" Captain Magno Vivan said with a sigh. "All right, Dread teams, you know what to do!"

Meia Gisborn, appointed Leader of the entire Dread squad, saluted her captain sharply. "Roger. Jura, you take Team B and hang back to defend the Nirvana. Barnette, take Team C and circle around the enemies' main attack force. We'll try a pincer maneuver…"

"Hey hey hey! What about me?" came an obnoxious voice. Hibiki Tokai's face filled the video communications screen as he glared at the Captain. "Old Hag, what am I supposed to do?"

The Captain smiled humorously. "You should ask Meia; after all, she's in charge of attack formations, or have you forgotten?"

"No, but all her commands are to just defend! We need to go full out offensive if we're to defeat-…"

"Uchuujin -san! Come on, we can combine and take out those bad aliens!"

"IDIOT, GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Vivan smiled. Ever since the men had been taken aboard the ship, life had become much, much livelier.

"Ahhh! You idiots, get out there and attack! That really hurts!"

"Bart! Stay calm! Meia, get the Dread force out now!"

"Roger!"

Bart Garsus, safe within the strange, linked cockpit of the Nirvana, winced as enemy fire blasted the right side of the ship, simultaneously peppering his right arm with several small cuts. To add to the strangeness of the ship, which had been affected by the Paksis, it was physically and psychologically linked to whomsoever came to pilot it. Hapless as he was, Bart had assumed command, or a loose form of it, and knew of only one way to control the ship: to run.

"DAMMIT THIS HURTS! GET ME OUTTA HERREEEE!"

"BART!" barked the Captain. "This is no time to panic! Jura's team is assuming defense positions now, so just sit still and be quiet! Take it like a man!"

Bart snorted indignantly. "That's easy for you to say…"

Ezra's cry of pain rang through the ship's open deck. BC, gaze locked onto the attacking enemies broadcast over the radar, spun in her tracks to face her.

"Ezra, are you all right?"

"I don't know," she moaned, both hands massaging her stomach to ease the pain. "It hurts again…"

The Captain, also attentive to the situation, gazed down at the young navigator. "Does it hurt in your back and down your legs?"

"N-no… just my stomach…"

"Then you should be fine. BC, help her to sickbay. I'll keep an eye on things."

"Roger." BC helped Ezra from her seat, supporting her as she stumbled on uneasy legs. She gave a gentle gasp, and leaned suddenly into the vice-captain, who stopped momentarily.

"Ezra?"

"…It's okay… the pain's going away now…"

"Are you sure?"

"…I think so. The Captain sure knows a lot, doesn't she?"

BC smiled. "Yes… one of her age and experience knows many things…"

Ezra's momentary smile was replaced by a look of concern. "Even so… I've been having a lot of false pains lately… I hope I'm okay…"

"It just means that your baby is getting ready to be born. I'm sure an examination will put your mind at ease…"

She couldn't help but giggle. "Are you sure? Duero doesn't know a whole lot about women or babies…"

BC sighed. "You're right on that… I suppose we have to give him a chance, though… he's been studying books very hard, trying to learn all the aspects of childbirth…"

"That's true…"

Duero McFile, busily reading through a book on the complexities of conception, gazed up just as BC and Ezra entered the Infirmary. He snapped the book shut, stood, and made an elegant leg.

"Well, ladies, how may I help you?"

"She's had another false pain… can you examine her and make sure everything is okay?"

"Of course… if you'd just lie down there, I'll get the scanning equipment out… Paiway, could you give me a hand?"

A frog-shaped backpack peered around the corner, puppet-like, mouthing spoken words.

"Ribbit! Paiway will be there in a minute, ribbit!"

Duero couldn't help but smile. The busybody nurse was most likely organizing her latest "Pai-checks" into a slide show, or something along those lines. "All right… now, Ms. Ezra, just lie back… that's it now. This will only take a minute…"

Gazing down, Ezra blushed. She could just see Duero's head as he paced back and forth, gathering his supplies. Her stomach hid the rest of his body. _My goodness, but I've gotten a bit big, haven't I? _

Pulling a pen scanner from his pocket and hooking it into a monitor that Paiway had so graciously brought into the room, he proceeded to scan over her stomach, monitoring the baby within. Feedback from the monitor showed her baby, squirming and thrashing with tiny arms, seeming to try to shift itself into a more comfortable position. Duero picked up the cast-aside book with his free hand and paged through it, looking for an explanation to this behavior.

"Hmm… it says here this is the 'quickening' stage… the baby is shifting itself into a proper position for separation…"

Ezra giggled. "How many times must I tell you, it's called 'giving birth'… not separation…"

Duero blushed. "R-right… anyway, this is supposedly common in the last trimester, and it is usually associated with mild cramping… and as I see nothing wrong here, there should be nothing to worry about. If you feel a sudden change in the intensity of the pain, or if you feel weak or sick, just come here, all right?"

"Yes," she responded. "Thank you for your help… I was worried…"

"You're welcome. Maybe you should go rest in your room for a while… I've noticed you've been spending a lot of time at your station navigating… there are others aboard the ship that can take over for you, you know… so maybe you should go and rest. It can't hurt…"

That familiar feeling washed over her again… "Y-yes, I suppose you're right. I'll go do that. Thank you again…"

Before Duero could respond any further, Ezra bit the side of her hand and rushed off, a strangled sob escaping from her throat. Duero looked on, puzzled, as Paiway entered the room with her camera in hand.

"What was that all about?"

"Ezra's feeling down about herself," Paiway chirped. "She feels upset now… don't you know that?"

Duero chuckled. "I'm afraid I'm still learning so many things about women… their physical structure, and their moods… it's very different from what we learned of women back on Tarak…"

"Yeah, like," Paiway deepened her voice, imitating a male's gruff bark, "'ALL WOMEN ARE MONSTERS WHO WILL EAT YOUR BRAINS!' Really silly stuff like that… you men are so strange…"

Duero eyed the young nurse carefully. "What about you, eh? You were taught that men were evil… right?"

Paiway turned around and shrugged noncommittally. "We as _pirates_ were taught that men were cowards who ran away from us and then called us the enemy. But look at you. You aren't cowardly, and you don't call us enemy…"

'_That's true,_' Duero thought reflectively, as Paiway pattered off into the next room over. '_Even if this is a life or death situation, we have learned to work with each other even outside of that… who would have thought it?_'

"AH! What is wrong with this Paksis now?"

Parfet bent over the control panel just outside the Paksis, noting that the power crystal pulsed from light blue to dark blue. It was being temperamental again. She glanced about. "Where's Pyoro?"

The small navi-robot crept silently away, sneaking in between computer grids and control panels. It couldn't prevent itself beeping as it heard its name being called.

"PYORO, come back here this instant! The Paksis is doing something strange again!"

"PYORO!! Leave me alone!"

The ship itself lurched suddenly to the side, throwing everyone within about. Bart spread his arms wide.

"Idiot!" the Captain yelled. "What are you doing now?"

"It isn't my fault!" Bart screamed back. "The ship's doing this completely on its own! I'm trying to stop it right now!"

"Captain, it _isn't_ his fault!" Parfet called over a video link-up. "The Paksis is acting up again! It must sense something about the enemy ships!"

"Damn," BC snarled, having caught herself from falling over by latching onto a navigator station. "This enemy just keeps getting worse and worse… Meia! What's your report?"

Meia looked up just as her Dread was sideswiped by an enemy cube-type. "Ungh! They're getting smarter, and faster… Dread force is down to 85% operating capacity… we're running low on munitions, as well…"

"Got it," called Gascogne from the Reg bay. "Crew, load up the transport, I'll be going out shortly!"

One young crewmember ran up to Gascogne and clasped her hands tightly. "Please be careful, Ms. Gasco…"

She smiled at the girl, ruffling her hair with a hand. "I promise… remember, it's not the job of a stagehand to get involved in a dogfight… and please, not Ms. Gasco. It's Gasco_gne_…"

"All right," BC called, "that should take care of it… Meia, regroup on my command, Hibiki, you're on standby until we can pick out a pattern on the enemy attacks. Crews report on damage!"

A flood of reports graced the video link screen.

"Engine capacity dropped to 75%!"

"We're all right here!"

"Starboard suffered minor damage…"

"Infirmary's all right…"

BC's gaze roved over the empty beds in the sick bay. "Wait… where's Ezra?"

"I sent her to go rest in her room just before the ship moved," Duero reported.

BC took off at a loping gait. "Dammit, her quarters are in the back half of the ship. Captain!"

"Go and look for her. I'll take over…"

Faster, faster she ran: BC wasn't sure her legs could hold out. "Ezra! EZRA, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"…BC… over here…"

Ezra leaned propped up against a wall. BC bent over and looked her over carefully.

"Are you all right?"

"Y-yeah… I'm a bit shaken up though… what's going on?"

"The Paksis is operating on its own again," BC explained, looping her arm about Ezra's waist and helping her up. "It sensed the enemy and lurched the ship to the side, like it wants to get away but can't… the Dreads are fighting the best they can, but the aliens have no definite attack patterns, so we can't utilize Hibiki just yet. That's taking a toll on the Dread forces… we might be able to flee, but it'll be hard with just four navigators… in order to match up with Bart's movements we'd need five…"

"Let me help…"

"Ezra, it's dangerous. You should lie low until the danger has passed…"

"Please," Ezra pressed, tightening her grip about BC's arm. "I'm tired of feeling so helpless… How can I go and lie down when I'm needed? Please… even if you tell me no, I'm still going to try…"

BC smiled helplessly. "I guess I don't have a choice. All right then, let's get back to the deck. Just promise me you won't do anything reckless?"

This time it was Ezra's turn to smile. "How can I do something reckless when I'm sitting down?"

"Point taken. Come on… I think we're running out of time."

"DAMMIT!" Barnette hissed through clenched teeth. Not only were the enemy fast, but they had also developed a tactic of gathering together to ward off the Dreads attacks. She watched helplessly as an inventive crew of cube types, who merged to form a shield, deflected her missiles. She snarled angrily.

"I'm running out of fire power here! Where the hell's Gascogne?"

"That's a heck of a way to greet someone who's come to get your can out of the fire," Gascogne called humorously over a video link. "All right, girls, the transport's arrived! Let's get this done all at once now…"

Hibiki, tired of waiting in the sidelines, launched his Vanguard at the nearest enemy. "I'm not waiting any longer… this has been dragged on long enough, it's about time we showed them we mean business!"

Meia, locked safely within the transport ship, smiled inwardly as the young man fought tooth and nail, regardless of his own personal safety. "What a reckless boy…"

"All right… munitions transfer successful. Dread teams release! Jura, how's it going on your end? We've got some extra shield recharges and munitions left…"

"We're fine, but my Dread's starting to lose shield power. Got any type Bs?"

"Yep… just hold on, I'll be there in a second…"

BC returned to the main deck of the ship, Ezra following in her wake. The Captain gazed down severely, concern crossing her face.

"Young woman, you should be resting right now. This is a very severe situation…" Her gaze shifted to BC, who shrugged her shoulders in apology, answering the Captain's glare with good humor.

"I couldn't stop her, Captain; you know how stubborn she is when it comes to navigating…"

Magno smiled… Ezra had always been such a good, loyal girl when it came right down to it. "All right, all right, I give… everyone, get ready… I'm sure the enemy will attack at any moment…"

Her predictions proved true. Sensing the pirates' hesitations with reloading and re-supplying, the enemy fell back and regrouped into tight formations, each winging swiftly through space to the temporarily inactive Dread forces. Meia opened an all-points video link.

"Wait for my command… Hibiki, are you ready?"

"It's about time you women got serious about this," he called humorously. "Dita, get in position…"

"Roger!" Dita called cheerily. "Oh, I hope this works out…"

"Come on, have some faith! It worked before, and it'll work again. Trust me…"

She smiled. "Okay, uchuujin-san… I trust you…"

Hibiki urged his Vanguard to connect with Meia's Dread. Upon combination, the great White Wing Vandread sped off, ready to intercept Dita's Dread. Faster than any of the Dread force could have imagined, cube-types intercepted the White Wing, blasting it with cannon fire. Both Meia and Hibiki winced.

"Dammit, what is up with these things? Every battle we get into it seems they get smarter and faster!" Hibiki swore. Over the audio link, screaming could be heard. Meia looked up sharply.

"Dita?!"

"Help, they're attacking me! Uchuujin-san, please help!"

"Barnette here! Listen, you three work on your plan, my team will try to hold them off!"

"No, don't, they're too dangerous! Regroup and hold back until my order!" Meia barked.

"B-but, Leader…"

"That's an order! Dita, just hold tight!"

"R-Roger!" Dita cringed in the cockpit of the Dread as enemy fire rattled off its armor. She couldn't help but cry… 'Uchuujin-san, please save me…'

Meia glared angrily at the enemy. "Right now, our primary concern is making sure the Nirvana doesn't get hit… we need to stave off any more attacks…"

Back on deck aboard the Nirvana, BC watched intently as Barnette's team held back. She could almost feel Barnette's seething anger as she commanded her part of the squad. "My group, hold until the order is given…"

Captain Vivan looked on incredulously. "What does that girl think she's doing now? I've never seen Meia act so stubbornly before…"

"She must have a plan… I believe Hibiki's thought processes have finally begun to influence her attacking patterns… she's waiting for a certain moment to attack… but even still…"

"Dread Dita is taking serious damage!"

"Dammit," BC growled. "Meia, should we have Gascogne pick her up?"

"No," Meia responded calmly. "Dita will be fine. Just let me concentrate…"

Dita, however, was thoroughly convinced she was about to die. Her Dread's shield was dropping at an alarming rate, and now messages of lost mobility were beginning to spring up on the control panels. She curled in upon herself… 'Please… uchuujin-san… don't let me die…"

"Idiot, what's gotten into you? You're the one always saying we'll all make it out alive… where's your spirit? Don't give up on us just because we're holding still for a moment…"

"Uchuujin-san?"

"You heard me… come on, don't give in so quickly. We've yet to show them our true colors…"

Somehow, Hibiki's words worked some sort of change on Dita. She gave a determined smile. "R-right! I trust you, uchuujin-san!"

Hibiki gave a humored sigh. "I wish she'd stop calling me that…"

Meia smiled. "All right, I know what to do now. Barnette, Jura, back us up. Whatever you do, make damn sure the Nirvana doesn't get hit. We can't afford anyone being hurt again, got it?"

Both Dread fighters responded. "Roger!"

"Hibiki…"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever you do, don't get motion sick this time, all right?"

Hibiki snorted. "That was a one-time thing. I think I can handle it this time."

Meia gave a slightly playful grin. "You sure?"

Before Hibiki could respond, Meia kicked down hard on the thruster pedals, throwing the White Wing into a series of barrel loops and banks that even the enemy forces couldn't match up to. She smiled mirthlessly.

"Hold on, Dita, we're coming!"

Hibiki clung on for dear life to the control panel. "I might be dead before we get there!!"

"All right, Hibiki, we need to separate now. Combine with Dita and use the Vandread to decimate the rest of the forces. Got it?"

"I-I think so… jus'… gemme outta here… can't take the speed…"

"You're so useless," Meia commented humorously. "Get out…"

In a bright flash of light, Meia and Hibiki's crafts disengaged. Hibiki shook off his dizziness and gripped at the throttles of his Vanguard. "All right, partner, let's show them who we are, and what it means to live!"

Captain Vivan watched the proceedings quietly. _'Boy,'_ she thought, _'men are men, but you are indeed a blessing in disguise…'_

Dita couldn't help but become boisterous and cheerful again. "Uchuujin-san, let's combine!"

"Yes, let's," he smiled, sneering at the hovering enemy craft. "We'll give them a show to remember…"

Upon combination, Dita and Hibiki threw the Vandread into action. Two massive blaster blades on either shoulder of the craft powered up, and pointed outward. Hibiki gripped Dita's right hand tightly, and both slammed down hard on the right control.

"Take _this!_"

The Vandread spun in place, issuing a blast at the same time. The circular blade of energy pulsed out from the two outstretched blades, cutting into the enemy forces and literally decimating them. Not one cube-type or flagship was left.

"Ahh!" breathed the Captain, shaking her head. "Every time those kids score a hit, I can't help but think I've just witnessed a miracle…"

"True… every battle we go up against the enemy, it seems Hibiki and the Vandreads have new and even more interesting ways of defeating them…" BC commented.

"All enemy ships have been destroyed," Ezra reported, scanning the areas around the ship. "Starboard side has minor- uhhn…"

"Ezra?"

Shakily, Ezra tried standing, grasping the edge of her station for support. She had been successfully ignoring the pain in her side for as long as the battle had been raging on for, but now, as if the silence had triggered it, she could no longer endure it. Giving a quiet squeal, she buckled, haphazardly toppling to the ground, then lying quite still, a fever consuming the world around her into total blackness.

A/N: Another confusing chapter, I hope I haven't lost you all so far. Well, where to begin… firstly, I wanted to throw in a space battle scene… I hope it didn't come off being too ludicrous (I think this fic should be partially A/U so that it makes some sense… I've been overlapping events like no tomorrow…plus I changed Dita's dialect so she's not referring to herself as "Dita" all the time instead of I... I know it's in the series, but it personally drives me insane, I hope no one minds me tweaking her like that. -_-). Secondly, a BIG thanks to those of you that read and reviewed my first fic… I was a bit over-defensive because I can't stand it when people just come in and bash the heck out of a fic. Constructive criticisms are a lot better received… t'is what kept me writing and making this a bit more of a continuing fic. Credit goes to Rouko to add the disclaimer to the fic summary that this combines events from both first and Second Stage, and that it indeed includes spoilers. Thank you hon. :D Chapter Three coming soon!~


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